Friday, January 06, 2006

Questions: After visiting Saudi

I went to Mekka late shortly after visiting Medina and there was this intense feeling of dissapointment.I didn't expect anything very grand, however, I didn't expect to see many beaten down buildings, 95% of the paint peeled off buildings etc.. it looks like the slums in Palestine.

With all due respect, I wonder, with all the money Saudis have, how come no initiative was made to fix up the area around the Grand Mosque.I bring this up because just yesterday, a hostel collapsed and almost 20 or so people died with over 40 injured and now I hear that another hotel collapsed today.

How common is it for buildings collapse? how crowded are the places? can the buildings not maintain the number of people who reside in it? I've heard how awful it can be for those who are a lot poorer, sometimes, ten people share a room, some sleep on the roads when performing Hajj.It disgusts me that even the hotels take advantage of such a religious season and to top it off, the prices are sky rocket high plus.. they may collapse! Anyhow, the Omani group are preparing a special tent/ Kheima for themselves. Thank god they are safer than being in a hotel that may collapse. 2 collapses in 2 days concerns me especially when a lot of members in my family are going tomorrow.May god protect them from all harm and bring them home safely inshallah... Amen.

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